I’m not complaining, but I liked those 70s better than these ones…My morning looked like this when I woke up.
Getting back in the groove with my participation with the Wednesday Walkers for the first time in two weeks. Scott also made a rare appearance for the group hike, so it felt like old times. Scott brought his car, so we had some additional trail options to choose from, and we settled on a hike out Naugsol way. Oh, another benefit of having Scott along is he takes better photos than me which I shamelessly steal and post here.
Off we go!The backwards glance.One of many friendly locals we encountered on our journey.Farm hands working those fields.Swan wasn’t along, so the handing out sweets duty was on me.The way ahead.Keep your puddles to yourself, damn it!A turn for the better?You lookin’ at me?Over the river.The final cookie delivery of the morning.And a look at Eater Mountain’s ass side.A 5K walk on a hot morning was just about right.
Since we had missed our usual Tuesday visit to Baloy Beach, we headed that way yesterday at beer o’clock.
Swan has a toes-in-the-sand addiction.And I enjoy having some cold beers on the floating bar.All aboard!
Then something unusual happened. One of the other customers approached me and gave me the traditional Hash “On-On!” greeting. He told me he had noticed my Hash shirt and wanted to introduce himself. His Hash Kennel is in Columbus, Ohio.
Nice to meet you, Brad!
Brad spent some time in Subic during his Navy days and was here doing reconnaissance on places he might like to call home in the future. He did Makati (Manila) and Angeles City before coming here. So far, he likes Subic best, but he’s flying out to Thailand today to check out that scene. We chatted for an hour or so, then exchanged phone numbers so he can contact me when he returns, and I’ll give him a guided tour of things to see and do in the area.
Meanwhile, the sun was doing its thing:
Thanks for the show!Sundown is our cue to head back to Baloy Beach and grab some dinner at that well-lighted place known as Treasure Island.See you next week, Kokomo’s!
Dinner is served:
I satisfied my enchilada craving.And Swan enjoyed her beef stroganoff.
As we were departing Treasure Island after our meal, this guy challenged me to a belly contest:
After 61 years of service with United States Forces Korea, Mr. Kim, Yong Tae, announced his retirement.
In my thirty-five years of government service, Mr. Kim was by far the most outstanding employee I’d ever encountered. Sadly, he didn’t make it to retirement, passing away after a brief illness. During our last conversation, Mr. Kim told me his only regret was not retiring sooner, so he could enjoy more time with his family. Those words resonated, and when I was asked to extend my employment with USFK for one more year, I respectfully declined.
Facebook memories reminded me today that two years ago, I was recovering from the surgery to remove some nasty nasal polyps.
It wasn’t pretty…But everything came out okay……except for the stains on my pillow.
I can breathe through my nose again, but I’ve lost most of my sense of smell. And life goes on.
I came across today’s YouTube video by chance, but I was surprised to find an old movie I actually remembered: the original Planet of the Apes, released in 1968. I was only thirteen years old back then, but I enjoyed the film despite the flaws I hadn’t noticed until seeing this video:
Some funny shit happened at the end of this post:
Well, maybe funny is an overstatement. Punny is more like it.Okay, somebody give him an Apple.Ah, so that’s why you’re not laughing!
Back at it with the Tuesday routines. We hadn’t been to the grocery store for two weeks, so I spent a little more than the usual weekly amount restocking the shelves, but less than I would have paid in two separate trips. So no complaints.
In the afternoon, I had an appointment with Dr. Jo at 2 p.m. I prefer three or four because it keeps me on schedule for my bar business, but alas, those time slots were not available.
The waiting area at the 1 Health Medical Clinic.
I had three issues I wanted to discuss with Dr. Jo. The most concerning was an itchy rash I’ve been dealing with for the past several weeks. It pops up in random locations every morning as soon as I wake up and sit down at my desk. And two or three hours later, it mysteriously disappears.
Here’s a picture I took to show what it looks like.
I told Dr. Jo I was using an over-the-counter hydrocortisone to deal with the itchiness, but she advised against doing so, saying that the medicine has side effects that can damage the skin. She gave me a generic ointment to use in the interim. As we discussed the recurring rash, it seemed unlikely that it was caused by an allergic reaction to external factors, especially since the rash also broke out while I was in Siargao and Pozorrubio. One possibility is that my liver isn’t processing some toxins while I sleep. I thought to myself, yeah, maybe my liver was drunk! Anyway, I’m going to have some blood tests done, and one of them will measure liver function.
The other issue is that my blood pressure has gone way up recently (153/86 this morning). Dr. Jo wants to review my blood results before deciding on new BP meds.
Finally, I asked about Ozempic meds as a method to deal with my weight gain. After discussing the pros and cons, we both agreed that more dietary discipline on my part was the better solution.
Now I just need to get scheduled for the blood work, which requires fasting. I’m planning to go next Tuesday.
It was 2:30 when I was finished with Dr. Jo. Swan said I needed a haircut, so we walked up the highway and got that taken care of. We were on the far side of town from the road to Baloy Beach, our usual Tuesday hangout, so we decided to postpone the floating bar and go to Cheap Charlies instead.
I ordered my Zero, and Swan asked for her usual red wine. The bartender advised they didn’t have any red wine in stock, and I’m thinking, shit, here we go again. Except this time, they just asked if Swan minded waiting a few minutes while they ordered a bottle for delivery. We were good with that.
Every time I pee at Cheap Charlies, I enjoy the view from the CR.There was some cute pussy in the bar too!And then a rainstorm blew through, confirming we made the right call to pass on the floating bar.
We asked for a Foodies menu from downstairs and ordered up some grub. Since I no longer buy lady drinks at Cheap Charlie’s inflated 250 peso price, I bought the girls some chicken wings and lumpia to enjoy, which cost me the equivalent of two lady drinks.
I enjoyed my beef stew……and Swan said her pork Kare-Kare was tasty as well.
We did our nightcap at Green Room, then headed home at an ungodly early 7 p.m. Well, since we started at three, we were maintaining our four-hour out-on-the-town routine.
The 2016 New Year has arrived in the LTG archives. It didn’t start well with this post recounting the circumstances of my beloved wife leaving me for reasons I still don’t understand. It was the end of one life, but the beginning of another. And ten years later, I’m still standing. Most of the time, anyway. I’m not sure what lessons I should have taken away from that heartbreaking event, but I do know I never want to experience anything like it again.
When I came across today’s YouTube video, I thought, “Now you tell me.” But then I remember reading something very similar on Kevin Kim’s blog long ago. But the wisdom in knowing that everything happens for a reason can be comforting, even if you can’t discern what those reasons may be. Life goes on until it doesn’t, so we should just count the blessings that come with each new day.
Let’s take another crack at some humor, shall we?
Dr. Jo is always on time and one of the few doctors I’ve found in the Philippines who operates on an appointment basis. Most places you arrive, sign in, and are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. The wait can be hours long.Reminds me of the brainless Scarecrow for some reason. I’m not talking about the kid, but rather the woke mentality that makes this sign funny.I’m going to punt and take a pass on this one.
And now it is on with my Wednesday. I can almost hear the floating bar calling me.
This song helped me get through the time of sorrow and loneliness I mentioned above.
When the day is long And the night, the night is yours alone When you're sure you've had enough Of this life, well hang on
Don't let yourself go 'Cause everybody cries And everybody hurts sometimes
Sometimes everything is wrong Now it's time to sing along When your day is night alone (Hold on, hold on) If you feel like letting go (Hold on) If you think you've had too much Of this life, well hang on
'Cause everybody hurts Take comfort in your friends Everybody hurts Don't throw your hand, oh no
Don't throw your hand If you feel like you're alone No, no, no, you are not alone
If you're on your own in this life The days and nights are long When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on
Well, everybody hurts sometimes Everybody cries And everybody hurts sometimes And everybody hurts sometimes
So hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on Everybody hurts
I missed the last two runs with my home kennel, so it was good to be back with the Subic Bay Hash group. I didn’t do much of the actual trail as I wasn’t feeling up to a climb to the top of the Kalaklan Ridge. When I saw the route the Hares laid to get there, I knew I had made the right call. Even some of the die-hards were bitching about how challenging the trail was. Knowing your limits is about more than beer intake, and I learned long ago that when Vienna Sausage is the Hare, I’m going my own way.
The gathering of Hashers at the edge of town.Vienna Sausage provides last-minute guidance before starting the trail.And we are On-On!The up I opted out of.I’d gone that way before and added to my “never again” list.Some other like-minded Hashers chose to follow my lead.We met up with Pubic Head along the way.Evidence that we did some of the flat part of the official Hash trail.The Hare’s trail.My trail was longer (6K) and flatter.The On-Home venue this week was Cyclone Bar.Circle up!It’s nice on ice!
A visit to It Doesn’t Matter after the Hash, then back to the comfort of home sweet home. And that’s how I rolled through another day.
It’s Christmas Day in the 2015 LTG archives. I wrote about all the places I had lived in my life up to that point, including the most recent, moving out of Jee Yeun’s place into my own apartment. And I was alone again, naturally. It’s been almost ten years now, and it still hurts.
I came across today’s YouTube video on a forum I follow. I’d never heard of this comedian before, but since it was less than five minutes long, I gave his stand-up schtick a watch. Maybe you’ll enjoy it.
As long as we are doing “humor,” I’ll share these:
Ashes to ashes, lead to lead…Sorry if I posted a version of this previously. It’s still funny, though.Show me the DNA…
Another post, another day. Time to get on with it.
Normal around here means nothing much of interest to blog about, not that that’s ever stopped me. I’ll keep it short at least, promise!
As is our Sunday custom, we headed to John’s place for Swan’s weekly birria taco fix. Except it was not available. Neither was the pulled pork. Something doesn’t feel right, and I fear this may be the beginning of the end.
Swan settled for the pulled beef sandwich. I had a bite, and it was tasty.
As we left John’s place, I noticed that both big freezers where the beef steaks are stored were empty. I asked the “waitress” (John’s daughter) if the restaurant was going to close. She denied it. We shall see, but a place named “John’s Sushi and Steak” not having steaks is a tad concerning.
We did our usual visit to Red Bar after dinner, but things felt a bit off there as well. The usual classic rock had been replaced by 21st-century music. Okay, they have dancers inside, so I can accept that the young ladies prefer music from their generation to sway to. What I couldn’t get used to was the outdoor speaker (we sit out front on the open-air patio) blasting so loudly it made conversation difficult. I asked our waitress if the outdoor music could be toned down some, and she said it was tied to the speakers inside. Hmm, it was never played so loud on my previous visits. Also, I know those speakers have separate volume control. As we paid our tab, I tipped her and said, “Next time we hear the music this loud, we’ll just keep on walking.” I hope she heard me.
We did our nightcap at Jumpin’ Jacks and enjoyed quality music and a respectable volume. We had the place to ourselves at first, but a bit later, a group of Westerners came in and took a table up front. It was a bit unusual to see a middle-aged white woman with them. They asked whether there would be live music, and were told there wouldn’t be on Sunday. Then the manager set up the karaoke machine and handed them a microphone. Oh shit. I told Swan to finish her wine because I didn’t want to be subjected to bad singing.
Then the heavyset white woman started to sing. The volume was right (no distortion), and my goodness, she had a beautiful voice. I didn’t recognize the song she sang, but I enjoyed it. I thought to myself, she’s better than the live singers that typically perform at Jumpin’ Jacks. When the woman was done, she handed the microphone to her boyfriend, and he was also a good singer. I don’t recall ever enjoying a karaoke performance as much as this one—a nice way to finish our night in Barretto.
Onward in the December 2015 LTG archives, and in this post, I talk about a lunchtime meetup with the esteemed Kevin Kim in Itaewon, where we witnessed a parade honoring the birthday of Mohammad. In that original post, I called him “the pedophile Mohammad,” which caused me some trouble at work when someone who read the post complained about my disrespect. The lawyers said the remarks were made on my own time and were protected by the First Amendment, but I was told to specify in the future that I was not speaking for 8th Army in LTG rants. Well, Mohammad did marry a twelve-year-old, so my pedophile description was accurate, but for the sake of peace and harmony, I deleted that reference.
For today’s YouTube video, let’s check in with Smart Girl Philippines. What she says in the beginning about Filipinas never forgetting is true. Everyone seems to know my name. I’ll go to a venue I hadn’t been to in months, and get the “Welcome, Sir John” greeting. I’ll be out hiking, and some gal who isn’t even vaguely familiar calls out, “Hello, John.” As for the getting arrested for arguing thing, I’d just say don’t step out of line because if you are a foreigner, it is always your fault.
Humor me this:
Not yet, but I’m working on it.Sounds like BS to me.Breaking up ain’t so hard to do after all.
Okay, my work is done here. Now it is time to prepare for the Hash. It’s a Guenter trail, so I’ll be shortcutting. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.
Back in Barretto to file this report on the events at yesterday’s Haggis Hash Bash in Pozorruio. To end any suspense, I maintained control over my drunk persona throughout a very long day. The best evidence of my success is that I made it up the stairs to my hotel room without assistance. I still drank more than I usually would over the course of the day, but this time I paced myself, stuck mostly to Zero low-alcohol beer, with no more than two an hour, and resisted taking any offered shots of the hard stuff. Or maybe I just got lucky.
Okay, let’s get to the Hash. There were two trail options: the long at 8 kilometers, and the shorter 7-kilometer version. Seeing as how I’m an older fucker with sore legs, and I had a hangover, I went with the 7K route.
And we are On-On!Down the road……and into the fields.A bushy goat on a rope.Over a squishy suspension bridge that left me feeling a little seasick at the end.That’s the bridge I’m talking about.All the other Subic girls took the long trail, but Swan stuck with me.The flatness of Pozorrubio would probably get boring after a while, but since I was seeing everything for the first time, I enjoyed the views.Passed through lots of farm land.A tree I fancied.Flowers by the riverside were worthy of a photo.We ain’t fast, so near the end of the trail we were bringing up the rear.A horny cow.I know what to do when I come to a fork in the road, but how do you deal with a fork in a post?There was something about this tree I liked.The route we walked.
Back on the farm, I changed into my new Haggis Hash shirt.
Our host was going for the Scottish school uniform look. For all I know, he nailed it.
Given my circumstances from the night before, I hadn’t had anything to eat. Watching the lunch being prepared (and smelling the burgers on the grill) only exacerbated my hunger.
Grillin’.Coleslaw.Diced wieners waiting for some ketchup.Putting it all together.Burgers wrapped and ready to eat.Hungry Hashers waiting for their turn.
The burgers and sides were quite delicious. I had my first beer of the day for dessert.
One of the Haggis traditions is playing various games and competitive events. We were divided into four teams and assigned a captain. A lot of the contests were physical (carrying someone, sack races, and the like), and my tired body wasn’t up for that. I told the captain I would cheerlead from the shade while I enjoyed some slow beer drinking.
Swan did a couple of events, including walking the plank.
They finished third. Swan says she is still sore.
I also videoed one minute of the Scottish dance competition:
We didn’t win that either.
Near the end of the contests, I got shamed into taking one for the team. For some reason, someone thought I was a natural for the beer-drinking event. What the hell, someone’s got to do it.
We took turns, and I was in the third position.Once you’ve downed your beer, you hold the emptybottle over your head, and the next player begins drinking. We didn’t win this event either.
Then it was time to circle up.
Refreshments for the Hashers.The sun calling it a day.Hashers Circled up!We weren’t in Germany, but we had a nice bonfire anyway.
I was one of the Scots invited into the Circle. I’ve never been to Scotland, but our Scottish host recognized that McCrarey is a Scottish name.
After the Circle, we moved back into the meeting area for dinner.
Our meal was introduced with the sweet sound of bagpipes.A small sampling of haggis with potato sides was served as an appetizer. Like a good Scot, I ate all of mine, even though it is not my favorite dish.The dining hall full of hungry Hashers.
One of our group members wasn’t feeling well, so our host provided a van to transport us back to the hotel after our meal.
The rest of us enjoyed some liquid refreshments at our hotel.
My day started at 9 a.m., and I was not back in my room until a little after 10 p.m. That’s a long day and a late night for me. But, much better than my Friday night, most of which I don’t remember. Scott sent me this photo as a reminder:
And now that I’m home again, we’ll get back to my more sane routines. I wired some money for the Hideaway feeding, as I wasn’t feeling up for that. I’m going to take Swan to John’s place for her birria tacos, and we’ll see how it goes from there.
A Jollibee Sunday at Hideaway.
On to December 2015 in the LTG archives. In this post, I share the continuing adventure of my efforts to get back to Korea via American Airlines. I got to meet someone semi-famous, Brooke Mueller, and travel in business class seats for the first time.
For today’s YouTube video, let’s check in with the Filipina Pea, who shares her wisdom on the reasons so many folks moving here fail to enjoy the life they imagined. I guess I got lucky, although there were some speed bumps along the way.
Humor time:
I’d rather be commatose…Hmm, I’m retired, but I still hear voices saying things like, “One more beer won’t hurt you.”Hiking pays! Who knew?
That’s all for now—time to get back to living in the moment.
Alright, it is Saturday morning, and I’ve got a big Hash day ahead of me. Before I go, let me dash off a quick post about yesterday’s Hash event. The Haggis is a Scottish thing, and my ancestral roots are in Scotland. But I was drinking like an Irishman last night, and from what I’m told, it didn’t end well. Oh well, live and learn. Or not.
Where I be and how I got here.A view from the road.Over the river.Our little room.Looking down at the pool from our room.Words of wisdom on the bathroom wall.A 200 peso trike ride to the CIJ Farm, the venue for this weekend’s Haggis Hash.And so it begins.Our Haggis host and skul principal, Honeydew.This year’s theme. Not to be an arse about it, but we don’t need no education.No matter how you spell it, we McCrareys are rooted in Scotland.Each participating Hash kennel was asked to designate a Queen. Subic’s choice was Bite My Titties.The Queen on her throne.And we are On-On!The best part of Hashing out of town is that all the trails are new.Swan is such a slowpoke sometimes.Pozorrubio is mostly flat and I like that.Through the fields we go. But I don’t think I was laughing all the way.An unfamiliar Hash mark…I wonder what it means?Clouds on the mountains.Gathering for the Circle at the trail’s end down on the farm.A short and sweet trail with TWO drink stops along the way.An end-of-trail snack.Snack innards.After the circle, we returned to the farm headquarters for dinner and drinks. Lots of drinks.
And then we caught the van for transport back to our hotel. Except we had it drop us off at a local bar just down the road from our lodging.
More drinking ensued, and things were getting a little dark in my addled brain.There was live music……and Swan joined the band.
I don’t remember anything after that. Swan told me this morning that I came back from the CR and my pants were wet with pee. We took a trike back to the hotel, and I fell down getting out. Two of the hotel staff had to help me up the stairs to the third floor. And then I woke up in bed this morning.
The early morning view from my hotel room.That full moon must have followed me here.
And that’s where things stand at the moment. Today’s Hash events start at 10 a.m. with a hike, then continue into the night as we dine on haggis, sit around a bonfire, and, of course, imbibe beverages, including Scottish whiskey. I pride myself on maintaining control when I drink, and yesterday was a failure in that regard. It is rare that I get falling-down drunk, and it is an embarrassment when I do. Hopefully, I learned my lesson about over-indulgence yesterday. I’ll let you know tomorrow how that works out today.
A photo of my workstation where this post was created.
Getting ready to hit the road for a Hash weekend in Pozorrubio. It looks like I’m not going to have any window of time for blogging, so I’ll dash one out now and see what happens later.
My bags are packed (except for the laptop, which I’m currently using).
Yesterday, I was planning to pay a visit to the My Bitch trail as my welcome-home morning hike, but for whatever reason, I’m experiencing some pain in my lower left leg. Perhaps that’s from a lack of exercise during my vacation on Siargao. So, I aborted the Bitch and did a 5K street walk instead.
It hurt a little less by the end of the walk. Hopefully, I won’t have to suffer on the Hash trails today and tomorrow.
Pretty much nothing special about last night, but I’ll tell you about it anyway. A visit to It Doesn’t Matter to kick things off…
…then the tiny filet mignon dinner at Jewel Cafe.
Swan wanted to try somewhere new for our nightcap. I suggested the recently renamed Crazy Horse (formerly Voodoo) bar. Jim, who used to manage Green Room, is in charge there now, so I wanted to pop in and see what was up.
Other than the signage, nothing seems to have changed from the Voodoo days.
Crazy Horse is a small girly bar, but they did have seven or eight gals on the stage. I was never a fan of this bar, and nothing happened last night to change my mind about that. Well, there was a first-time happenstance for me: I poured the cookies and candy on my table, and only a couple of girls chose to partake. I’ve never had to repack goodie offerings in a bar before. Oh well, the guards at Alta Vista and my trike driver home got some sweet rewards.
Early to bed, early to rise as usual. I was greeted with this view when I sat down at my desk this morning:
The moon was not hungry this morning!
So, as I surfed the ‘net, I got to enjoy the moonset.
A good start to the day!
I’ll let you know how the rest of the day goes when I get the chance.
Hey, I drank for free all night yesterday. Thanks again, Dave.
(I did a post earlier covering the Dave Fischer memorial yesterday. Be sure to scroll down if you want to see it.)
I actually don’t have any green grass in my yard, but that song came up on the Grab driver’s playlist as we rode to the airport to catch the bus home, and it somehow felt appropriate.
Manila traffic was typically nuts on the way to the airport, and there was some question of whether we’d arrive in time to catch our 8 a.m. bus to Clark airport, where Jeff had left his car. We made it, and I even had time for a piss before boarding.
We even found seats to gather together at the back of the bus.That would be us.Some of that crazy Manila traffic I mentioned.A Korean language school in Angeles City. Filipinas try to learn the language so they can get housekeeping or caregiver jobs in the Land of the Morning Calm. Or jobs in the bars.
Picked up Jeff’s car, then hit the highway for home sweet home.
On the road again.I got a laugh out of this. KKK is indeed flammable, especially around wooden crosses.
Arrived in Barretto around noon, got some rest, then headed to Baloy Beach for Dave’s memorial. Each guest was given two drink chits, and I accumulated several more from folks who didn’t use theirs. We went to Wet Spot and Green Room after the Treasure Island ceremony so we could continue to honor Dave’s memory (and I could use the rest of my coupons).
Thanks for the good times, Dave.Swan got gifted this nice Wet Spot cap.Our tablemates at Wet Spot.
We did a nightcap at Green Room, then headed for home, no longer feeling any pain.
Woke up this morning to my regular view from the patio I hadn’t seen in a while:
It’s good to be home, green grass or not.
That might be the best part of travel, you see new places and come back home with a greater appreciation of what you have. Yes, Siargao is cleaner, has less traffic, and nicer beaches. But I have the comfort of being around people that I know, most of whom are closer to my age than the folks I encountered on the island. If there was a local expat hangout on Siargao, I never found it. I also like the convenience of nearby grocery stores and a hospital should I encounter an emergency (traveling an hour by boat sounds like a death sentence for Siargao residents; maybe that’s why old folks don’t live there). I’ve got nice beaches an hour away in Pundaquit, and Subic has a Hash and hiking groups. So, this is where I belong as I live out my days.
We chatted with a business owner at the Cloud 9 surfing area. She told us the two leading causes of death on Siargao Island are motorbike accidents and getting hit in the head by a falling coconut (we all looked up at the tree we were sitting under, and she laughed and said they keep the trees coconut-free).
Anyway, if I were a younger man or a surfer, I might consider living on Siargao. I do plan to make a return visit someday for the different vibe it offers.
It’s that time of year when kids approach and sing carols (or beat on drums) to solicit coins. Well, it is slightly better than begging, I suppose. We’d encountered some from our second-floor perch on our last night in Siargao, and we tossed them a few pesos. When Swan and I departed, Jeff and Davina were still upstairs. So, I figured, why not give it a try? Davina recorded the moment.
And now you are up to date on my so-called life.
Back to the LTG November 2015 archives. I wrote a post called “End of Days” as I prepared to return to Korea after a holiday visit to South Carolina. I didn’t know that it truly was nearing the end of the days for those things I held dear to me back then.
Speaking of coconuts, in today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea demonstrates climbing a tree to get some. I’ve seen it done, and it’s scary just to watch. But if you want to eat, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.
And now for the funny business.
What’s up, doc?Me too. That’s why I pun instead.I prefer catsup and pickle relish myself.
Alrighty, then. Time to get ready for my last night in Barretto. Yep, you heard read that right. I’m heading out of town again tomorrow morning. This time, it will be Pozorrubio in the province of Pangasinan, here on Luzon Island. I even double checked my spelling and added the second “r” required to get it right. I’ve been there before; it is where the annual Haggis Hash Bash is held at a La Union Hasher’s farm. I’ve been attending for the last two years, and it’s always a unique Hashing experience and a good time. The events are all-day affairs, so finding a blogging niche tomorrow and Saturday may prove difficult. I’ll do my best, but it may be Sunday before you get the full report.
Dave Fischer built the Treasure Island Resort, and that’s where we bid him a final fond farewell. The place was packed; I guess a couple of hundred folks were in attendance at his memorial gathering. He was honored by those who knew and loved him, then his ashes were carried out into the bay where they were laid to rest.
Drinks were on Dave.Memories floated in the air like helium balloons.I met Dave’s widow for the first time and conveyed the sense of loss all in attendance were feeling.It was a full house at Treasure Island.Then we moved to the beach…And held candles in remembrance.Gone but not forgotten.
I smiled at this while we were raising our candles:
It seemed in keeping with Dave’s sense of humor that a rain shower would descend on the candle bearers.We carried on with the ceremony regardless.Wet Spot manager who worked for Dave for more than twenty years, carried Dave’s urn to the beach.And Dave’s widow accompanied him for the final journey.Into the boat…And onto the bay. A fine ending to a well-lived life.
Okay, I made it back to Barretto safe and sound, but I’m in a rush, so I will do an abbreviated update post about the trip from Siargao to Manila.
We said our goodbyes to Maria, our breakfast waitress at Romantic Beach Villas. Friendly and sweet, she greeted us by name every morning and engaged in some enjoyable chit chat.Nice to see you, beach. Until next time…
We scheduled a van through the hotel to take us to the airport. The same one that brought us from the airport last week, non-stop. Not this time. After picking us up, the driver made four additional stops for passengers. I was sweating it, but we arrived in plenty of time to depart as scheduled.
Our chariot awaits! I have to give props *ahem* to Cebu Pacific for being on time.Goodbye, Siargao!Hello, Cebu!
We had a three-hour layover before our flight to Manila was scheduled to depart. What to do? Well, we found a comfortable place to hang out for a while.
You gotta do what you gotta do to fill them hours.Lots of inspiring words to ponder while we waited.Yeah, no point in thinking about it. Cheers!Hangin’ with the neighbors.
We departed Cebu bound for Manila just a few minutes late.
Our seats were at the back of the bus.Flying high together. I got high a lot my first time through the 70s, too.Deplaning in Manila.
The airport in Manila sucks, and it sucks even more when you fly on Cebu Pacific. We taxied for about 10 minutes after landing before reaching our gate. But we actually didn’t reach a gate. We deplaned onto the tarmac, then rode a bus to the gate. When we re-entered the actual airport, we had to go through security again. That meant waiting in a long line for the single scanner, removing my laptop from my backpack, and taking off my belt, then repacking on the other side. Oh well, at least we landed wheels down.
All our bags arrived on the carousel, which is always a relief. Jeff and Davina do the Grab ride thing, so we dragged our baggage to the Grab pickup area. Except that no Grab drivers were available last night. So, it was back to the arrivals terminal for a wait in the taxi queue. And we needed two cabs to carry us to our destination, the Coco Hotel in Makati. When we finally arrived and got checked in, it was 9 p.m. Jeff was bushed and called it a night. I had a bit of hunger and thirst to assuage, so Swan and I paid a visit to Shooters, conveniently located right across the street from our hotel.
Shooters is a nice enough hangout, and it appeared to be full of locals. It was nice seeing old folks like me out and about after a week of mingling with young tourists in Siargao. Swan ordered something Filipino, and I went for the wedge-cut potatoes dish. They had Zero beer, so I enjoyed a cold one or three while we waited. And waited. Swan asked about the order’s status, and the waitress returned to say it was being “plated.” But when the plate came out, it was only Swan’s dish. It seems they had forgotten about mine. They offered to make it, but it was late, and I was tired.
Back to our room, and we called it a day.
A LONG day for someone like yours truly.
And now that I’m home, I need to get ready for Dave’s memorial service.
He had a good life and helped many others along the way. Dave is gone, but will not be forgotten by those whose lives he touched.
Back to regular posting tomorrow. I’ll try to fill in the remaining gaps from my trip.
Waiting for our transport to the airport this morning, so let’s see if I can dash out a quick post about our final day on the island spelled Siargao.
As already mentioned, we were supposed to take an island-hopping tour to bring our vacation to an adventuresome conclusion. The rainstorm and ensuing tour cancellation laid those plans to rest. Instead, we had one of those nothing-special days that can still be satisfying. A walk to the drugstore, a revisit to the Books Cafe for lunch, blogging, then a meet-up with Jeff and Davina for some drinks, dinner, then more drinks. Yep, almost like being home.
The Books Cafe was surprisingly packed when we arrived. And you can see the crowd was made up of those young tourists who dominate the scene in General Luna.Ah, that explains why it was so busy.They had several of these charging stations set up around the room, and almost all the customers were plugging in. Who knew a brownout could be so good for business?The oldest couple in the joint.I’ve never seen a club sandwich that looked quite like this one, but it tasted fine.
We had planned to start our last night on the town at a brewery Jeff had spotted up the road and down an alley:
Hmm, a few brews and I’m always ready for bed.They had these brewing tanks downstairs……and some more upstairs.Swan was getting comfortable…
We were looking forward to another brewery tasting, and then the waitress gave us the news: they were sold out of beer—all of it. That sure sounded like bullshit, but maybe they aren’t brewing much. Looks like Dr. Chris won’t have much competition.
So, we walked back up the road and climbed the steps to give this place a try:
It was okay for a couple of beers. Met a friendly Irish couple at the table next to us and shared some laughs.
Then it was time for some Spanish dining:
I’ve had lots of Mexican, but don’t recall anything from the motherland.Small but nice inside.That’s what the tacos looked like.Some of the other items we shared. A tad pricey: dinner and drinks for four came to 5000 pesos.
After eating, we went upstairs to the bar for our nightcap.
My kind of place.But there was something fishy about this wall art.Filipino youngsters on the street downstairs performing Christmas carols and hoping we’d toss some pesos their way. We accommodated them.
And then Swan and I headed back home, stopping for some ice cream along the way. The day was nothing special, but still a nice ending to our Siargao vacation.
Continuing on with the November 2015 LTG archives, my last trip to the USA with Jee Yeun at my side. Getting there turned out to be a nightmare. I hope today’s flights back to Manila go better than that one.
From Facebook memories:
My old softball team from 1974, the Ringwraiths.I was a big fan of the sport.
Eight yeas ago, I achieved this milestone:
The first and last time I’ve managed a 50,000 step day.My face when I hit the 50,000 mark.
For today’s YouTube video, I’ll share this short from Smart Girl Philippines about “secret menus” that Filipinas have to offer.
And a little bit of humor:
I don’t have anything to be ashamed about.I’m better at stumbling than skipping…“Let’s get something straight between us.”
By golly, I got this post done and still have an hour before my ride to the airport arrives. Yippie! We’ll see how I do from Manila in the morning.
My final takeaway from the Romantic Beach Villas’ complimentary breakfast buffet.
Taking a vacation from the regular routines does make blogging a bit easier.
Today’s our last day in Siargao, but I have some unexpected free time on my hands to tell you all about yesterday.
Martin and Joss invited us to join them for a beach walk to the Cloud 9 surfing area. We gladly came along and enjoyed seeing a part of Cloud 9 we’d missed on our previous visit. I opted out of the highway walk back and took a trike instead.
When we arrived at the hotel, our room and the one next door were being cleaned. Then we were informed that we were being moved from the Casa Grande room to the Casa Duo. I called bullshit and began to throw a fit, but Swan insisted I calm down while she sorted things out. Of course, the room maintenance folks had no say in the matter, so we marched to the front desk. Swan told me to let her do the talking, so I kept my mouth shut.
Now, here’s the thing. When I booked the room, I had to make two separate reservations: one for our Tuesday arrival with a Friday checkout, and the other for a different room from Friday through our checkout tomorrow. But when I checked into the hotel, I specifically asked whether I could keep the same room for the duration of my visit, and was assured that it would not be a problem. Alas, it was not to be. Now, why this was occurring on Sunday, I have no idea. But the front desk receptionist told Swan our Casa Grande room was reserved for an arriving guest, and we had to move. What makes it even worse is that the Casa Duo room is shit and also half the size of our prior room. Well, nothing to be done but suck it up and move. I let Swan handle the logistics while I calmed myself with a beer and a chicken burger next door at Barrel.
Later in the afternoon, Jeff messaged that we should meet at the hotel bar at 5 p.m. and then proceed to dinner. I went down at 4:30 to escape my crap room, but there was nowhere to sit at the bar. So, we went next door to the hotel where Martin and Joss are staying and found a comfortable place to sit. Martin and Joss were lounging on the beach and came over to join us. I messaged Jeff to let them know where we all were.
When it was time to leave for the restaurant, Swan and I opted to go elsewhere. I just wasn’t in the mood for a fancy, expensive dining experience (1000 pesos each, according to Google). So, we said our goodbyes and headed up the road in the opposite direction.
Oh, I forgot to mention that we got hit with a “brownout” (power outage) earlier in the afternoon. The resorts all have generators, but I was surprised to see so many small businesses also equipped with an alternate source of electricity. The worst thing about generators is that they are noisy, which diminishes the joy of basking in the venue’s ambiance.
Our quest for a pleasant place to chill and eat was fraught with setbacks. Our first option was a nice-looking place on the beach, but it didn’t open until later. Then, there was an open-air second-floor joint that looked good until I saw the sign that only bare feet were allowed upstairs. Now most people wear flip-flops in these parts, but I’m an old-school shoes-and-socks kinda guy (unless I’m on the beach), so I said fuck that. The next place we tried told us they closed at 7 pm (it was already 6:30), so that was another no-go. We finally settled on a little streetside diner. They didn’t offer any alcoholic beverages except beer, so Swan joined me in a San Mig Light to wash down the shawarmas we ordered.
After we finished eating, I wanted to pick up some ice cream to take back to the room, but the shop we’d used before had the freezer closed and locked, apparently to keep things cold during the brownout. I suggested we go check the dessert menu at Barrel and Swan was down with that, saying they have wine there. Win-win! No ice cream at Barrel, but I brought back a tasty slice of carrot cake for my dessert.
And then the rain came and stayed all night. Our new room has a metal roof, and last night felt like being inside someone’s drum with the constant pounding overhead. I guess the generator ran out of gas or something, because for most of the night, we were in the dark with no aircon.
It is still raining this morning, and we were advised that the island tour hop has been cancelled due to the weather. That’s probably for the best, and it gave me time to write a longer-than-usual blog post. Sorry about that!
Pictures from the day say it better than I ever could:
The meetup with Martin and Joss on the beach.And away we go.Another leaning palm tree.A beached boat.Oh, shit! Now what do we do?We plod on, of course.We stopped into this beachside resort for some fruit juice refreshments. We asked about the room rates, and they were crazy high. The poolside rooms were 35,000 pesos (that’s $600) per night. I guess if you can’t afford it, they don’t want you here.The way ahead.Green Room? Where have I heard of that before?We have arrived at Cloud 9.They even have a Kokomo’s here!Let’s go surfin’ now…It’s a surfing safari!White girls on the white sand. Just a tad over 5K to get there.The Barrel chicken burger that appeased my eviction.The view from my table at Barrel.The souvenir shirt Swan gifted me.Hanging out with the neighbors.The view we enjoyed.Speaking of views, here’s a photo Joss took on the beach in front of their hotel yesterday.Brown beauties.Nice hanging with you guys!Except the party doesn’t start there until 9 pm. That’s past this old man’s bedtime.Why not?The shawarmas we had weren’t all that good, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
That was how the next-to-last day went down here.
It’s November 2015 in the LTG archives, and in this post, I write about how crazy Itaewon gets on Halloween. It was just seven years later that 159 people died in a Halloween crowd crush. I could certainly understand how that might happen.
For today’s YouTube video, let’s travel back in time and observe Filipino family life in 1956. In some of the backwaters I hike, it doesn’t appear to have changed all that much.
Time for a smile:
Been there, done that.Age is just a number.And it is still reigning here,
Okay, time to get on with making the best of my last day in Siargao. At least I’ve learned how to spell Siargao now.
